What's kind of appeal do you get in the GUST games?

[Kobunji Minoru]

To be simple, why do you like the GUST Games?
The simple turn based combat? The simple but engaging storyline? The fantastic characters?

For me, At first is a break from the usual mainstream RPGs but now because of its although cliche but wonderful story lines of the games and also its impressive presentation that doesn't make the games look like some mediocre game made only for the money. and I'll also add that wonderful music they compose.

[Utsuho Lazy]

Deep story, especially the At series. I mean, almost 4000 years of history.

Music by GUST Sound Team never disappoints.

And the fact that they created Hymmnos. Being a language geek, this is what that piques my interest most.

Their graphics aren't the most gorgeous out there, but there's always a charm, mostly in the artworks (just look at At3's incredibly detailed concept arts). Not to mention the two recent Atelier titles, Totori and (upcoming) Meruru, look absolutely wonderful.

[Nash]

Loliciousness, high-definition-tiny-fonts and innuendos?

[Fräulein Lillie]

Sex appeal. Honestly, I'm more of an Atelier fan than I am of Ar tonelico, but I must say what attracted me most were the character designs. They're far different from your average jRPGs, especially when you look at the clothing style used in Ar tonelico II.

[Harmonics]

Sex appeal. Honestly, I'm more of an Atelier fan than I am of Ar tonelico, but I must say what attracted me most were the character designs. They're far different from your average jRPGs, especially when you look at the clothing style used in Ar tonelico II.

Same here, the clothing are so diffrent and the design are something you wouldn't really see in other RPG's. Aside from Magna Carta 2...I think...

Loliciousness, high-definition-tiny-fonts and innuendos?

This, this, this, 9,000,000,000 this!

[wizzardx]

There's a few things that got me into the AT series (that's in a different topic I think).

Now that I know the series, what I get the most from it are:

- General setting (interesting on many levels). The setting and backstory development (over the different titles) are probably the biggest hook that keeps me interested in the series, and really looking forwards to the next game in the series. And the depth of the backstory and setting are awesomely detailed, thanks to the Settei books, giving a lot of material to think about, discuss, etc.

- Talk topics/dating sim/visual novel/cosmosphere elments. The whole helping cute girls fight their inner demons, talking to them, and getting closer to them over the course of the game as their protector (in battle, during dives, and through the rest of the story too), is pretty awesome. You can get pretty attached to the characters, and immersed in the story (wishing it was real, not wanting the game to end, etc), due to this. Probably one of the most disappointing things in the game is when you eventually run out of talk topics, and that you don't have much left to do besides finishing the game. Otoh: It's pretty awesome when just about every time you go to camp/inn, there's several more things to talk about with the girls.

- Synthesis/shop/event conversations. There are awesome, and really funny. I think this goes hand in hand with the character and personality design, and having some really skilled writers, who can play the characters and their personality quirks off against each other.

- Of course, the epic "save the cheerleadergirls, save the world" storyline, where you have both some standard RPG elements, but also a lot of unexpected twists, most of which have a connection to the deeper backstory, and deeply involving the characters you're caring a lot about. When you're able to save them (and the world) from a terrible fate, it's a really great feeling of accomplishment.

- The innuendos are awesome too, though over the top sometimes. There's a lot of "did she really just say that?" moments, and many lols. What's also amusing is that the characters most of the time are saying these things innocently, and the writers let (or force, lol) the player to to hear an extra subtext, while really (as far as the characters are concerned) meaning the more innocent context. The AT series would actually be pretty perverse if the characters were really flirting with each other the way it sounds sometimes.

Well there's more, but this post is already tl;dr

PS: Ah, forgot that this was about Gust games in general, not specifically AT, lol. Basically I like the old-school style, and the music, plus the humor, quirky characters, and pretty interesting characters and settings. Plus the "save the girl, save the world" themes are great, too (mainly going by the Atelier Iris and AT series, have barely touched the other games so far).

[ティリアLove]

There's quite a few things for me.
1.The Soundtracks
2.The Hymmnos Language
3.The 3D Graphics(Both AT and Atelier are beautiful!)
4.The Character Design and Art(Rorona,Totori,Meruru Beautiful Art,like something from a storybook and Ar tonelico's art is just so...Can't find a fitting word)
5. The singers of Ar tonelico and Atelier(Mainly Rekka Katakiri and Mineko Yamamoto*Shot*)
And the story AT is just....

[Marioak]

MOE
Most of characters are likable and funny. That just got me into the series.

[Fayharn]

Spoiler for "Opinions":  [ Open ]

Deep story, especially the At series. I mean, almost 4000 years of history.

Music by GUST Sound Team never disappoints.

Their graphics aren't the most gorgeous out there, but there's always a charm, mostly in the artworks (just look at At3's incredibly detailed concept arts). Not to mention the two recent Atelier titles, Totori and (upcoming) Meruru, look absolutely wonderful.

- General setting (interesting on many levels). The setting and backstory development (over the different titles) are probably the biggest hook that keeps me interested in the series, and really looking forwards to the next game in the series. And the depth of the backstory and setting are awesomely detailed, thanks to the Settei books, giving a lot of material to think about, discuss, etc.

- Talk topics/dating sim/visual novel/cosmosphere elments. The whole helping cute girls fight their inner demons, talking to them, and getting closer to them over the course of the game as their protector (in battle, during dives, and through the rest of the story too), is pretty awesome. You can get pretty attached to the characters, and immersed in the story (wishing it was real, not wanting the game to end, etc), due to this. Probably one of the most disappointing things in the game is when you eventually run out of talk topics, and that you don't have much left to do besides finishing the game. Otoh: It's pretty awesome when just about every time you go to camp/inn, there's several more things to talk about with the girls.

- Of course, the epic "save the cheerleadergirls, save the world" storyline, where you have both some standard RPG elements, but also a lot of unexpected twists, most of which have a connection to the deeper backstory, and deeply involving the characters you're caring a lot about. When you're able to save them (and the world) from a terrible fate, it's a really great feeling of accomplishment.

These.

GUST games always have something different from the other JRPGs and that's pulling me into it.

[Sieghardt]

There's a few things that'll make me enjoy an RPG:

-Likeable characters
-good music
-nice art style
-a well developed world with a sense of its own culture
-lots of character interaction
-a good battle system
-set piece battles that deviate from the norm
-a good romance
-a sense of adventure and exploring the unknown and by that I mean worlds that feel truly magical or alien, not medieval land #540804756

Gusts games generally tick all those boxes, some more stongly in different areas, Mana Khemia for battles, AT for world + romance, all of them for interaction, which is a biggie, ever since I first played Grandia and saw how much the dinnertime conversations added to the game I've been wanting more and more

[Melody_Light]

There's a few things that'll make me enjoy an RPG:

-Likeable characters
-good music
-nice art style
-a well developed world with a sense of its own culture
-lots of character interaction
-a good battle system
-set piece battles that deviate from the norm
-a good romance
-a sense of adventure and exploring the unknown and by that I mean worlds that feel truly magical or alien, not medieval land #540804756

Gusts games generally tick all those boxes, some more stongly in different areas, Mana Khemia for battles, AT for world + romance, all of them for interaction, which is a biggie, ever since I first played Grandia and saw how much the dinnertime conversations added to the game I've been wanting more and more

Sieghardt basically summed up my thoughts as well. It's a much more happy setting as well, which is always refreshing from the more common and darker themes other companies like to touch on. As I've aged, this appeals to me more, since real life tends to have enough dark topics thrown at me and others plenty enough, so games are more of an escape from reality than anything else. I imagine most gamers play games to sort of escape reality, and those that love shooters or epic roleplaying games play them because of the lack of adventure and excitement in life. Those that play Sims wish they could control their own life better, so they control things in a safe zone. Gust games I imagine appeal more to the darker people, believe it or not, as they feel the lack of happiness and security in their own life.

Now am I saying all people are like this? Hell no. There are times I want to break laws and riot all the time, and while I'll never do it, you won't see me venting by playing Grand Theft Auto...LOL. And while I'd love to blow shit up, I can't play shooting games to save my life...LOL. There are even times when I'm happy that I feel like grabbing Atelier Annie or Rorona just to play a happy little game. But I guess this is the best way to describe me in general for why I love Gust games and RPG's. I overall feel I need a mood booster or a sense of adventure in my life.

[Nash]

I don't think I'll ever use RPG as channels for venting lol. The battle systems are way too slow for such purposes.

That's what the ever recycled Se/angoku Musou formula is supposed to be.

[Melody_Light]

I didn't necessarily meant that I vent through RPG's...I usually don't vent through games period, but I imagine that's the appeal of GTA to others...breaking the law and beating stuff up for little to no reason just other than you can...LOL...but as for venting through games for me, I probably would play action RPG's like Dragon Age...

[Nash]

Yeah... I wish someone would do a more crafty version of GTA... where you kill people and win by getting away with it.

[Melody_Light]

Actually, I heard you kind of can from what I heard other people say about it. Don't you just have to hide for small frame of time and then the police will somewhat forget about it? LOL...

But L.A. Noire is coming up...and it's done by the same people that did GTA...but you play as a cop though solving murder mysteries...

[Thunder]

I've gotta say the biggest draw for me has always been the unmatched charm of their games, which of course is because of well, everything about them. The characters, the music, the art styles, the storylines, the simple gameplay, their use of the same old cliches to their advantage, the depth of the worlds and characters and lets not forget the in game info which in AT's case rivals Xenosaga and others with huge volumes of world/character info. And so on and so on, because I'm sure there's stuff I've missed. Basically Gust games are the only ones out there that I can't go without ever again.

[Nash]

If only the so-called huge volume of worldly info was actually given the proper attention in-game, instead of mostly being relegated to mere side publications. As opposed to, you know, teh sexy and innuendos.

[Thunder]

Yes, this is true Like moving it out of the encyclopdeia menu or hidden places, not that the hidden stuff is bad, cuz I actually like that. Gives you a sense of accomplishment for exploring. But yes indeed it should be more front and center over the eye candy, definitely agreed.

[Palsa]

Don't get me the wrong way, but I'm getting a little tired of the 'Magical Girl' / 'Loli' theme that they've been going through lately.
Even the bonus characters in the PSP ports are in a sense, all lolis.
The older games were more renascence, medieval, feudal era based, and that was the Atelier series that I grew to love.

[Melody_Light]

Don't get me the wrong way, but I'm getting a little tired of the 'Magical Girl' / 'Loli' theme that they've been going through lately.
Even the bonus characters in the PSP ports are in a sense, all lolis.
The older games were more renascence, medieval, feudal era based, and that was the Atelier series that I grew to love.

I kind of agree...I mean, most of what I got into Gust for was the loli/magical girl deal (only because I have a soft spot for those), but when I see the older Atelier games (that I'll probably never get to play), it makes me want to play them more. At the same time, Gust revovles around magical girl deals, because there's never a male character for the Atelier series (I mean the MAIN character, the focus of the story), and Mana Khemia seems to be the opposite, having a male as the lead role. I loved one and have been meaning to play the second one, but the lack of other sequels as well as the additions to the Atelier series and Ar tonelico is getting more and more loli.

Don't shoot me, but I can't see how I'm not supposed to feel dirty by playing these games revolving around little girls and sex jokes/innuendo...LOL